Wilson Ramos: Shrewd acquisition for Phillies

This week was an absolute belter across Major League Baseball. The trade deadline passed, and the Phillies picked up Wilson Ramos for next to nothing. Taking a slight risk by trading for a star on the disabled list, the Phillies picked up a dynamic All-Star who will significantly bolster their roster in return for a player to be named at a later date or cash. Is this the right move for the Philadelphia-based franchise?

Well, for starters the catcher is still out injured with a strained hamstring, meaning he will not be available immediately. The injury will keep him out for anywhere between a fortnight and a month. This does not come as a shock for the leaders of the National League East, who lead the Braves by 2 wins, with Philly GM, Matt Klentak, stating that Ramos’ health was: “factored into the components of the deal.”

On the other hand if it all goes wrong, which it shouldn’t, the Phillies would only have to shell out $2.8 million for the catcher. In addition, at the end of 2018, Ramos will enter free agency.

Ramos has had a good season so far, with a total of 14 home runs already and with a batting average of .297, which is better than any player on the Philly roster. With 53 RBI’s and a .834 OPS, the Venezuelan was elected to his second All-Star game in three seasons.

The Phillies have also further bolstered their line-up these past few weeks with the addition of two-time All-Star, Asdrúbal Cabrera, who will add depth to the line-up.

The Phillies can go toe-to-toe with any team in the National League and look set to return to make the playoffs.

However, consistency has always been a struggle for the Phillies. This season is no different. For each win there is regularly a loss to follow, but on the flip side, they are in a division within which each team is fairly consistently, inconsistent. For example, the Braves who are chasing the Phills for top spot, have a win/loss record of 5-5 their last 10, exactly like the division leaders.

If Ramos can recover from his injury quickly then the Philadelphia Phillies are definitely the top pick to win the East. With that being said, consistency remains an incredibly large threat to their chances, thus they must improve or risk relinquishing their position to the Braves.